The present invention relates to apiculture components such as honeycomb foundations, artificial honeycombs, beehive covers, beehive bottom boards, beehive queen excluders, beehive queen cages, beehive cell cups and any other elements and surfaces which are used in a beehive and which are accessible to the bees. The present invention also relates to a method of operating a beehive.
Bees, like all other living things, are subject to disease, pests and parasites. In the commercial production of honey it is necessary to maintain the health of the bee colonies in order to maintain production and also to provide honey of high quality. In relation to the treatment of bee diseases, nowadays fat soluble substances are used, resulting in an increased accumulation of residues in industrially sold beeswax. As the beekeepers are gathering and using the melted wax again and again, from one year to the next, the problem is aggravating every season. Furthermore, pathogens can be spread by using bee wax coming from abroad which has been demonstrated for Paenibacillus larvae, causing American Foulbrood disease in honeybee colonies.
Bee colonies which are infested by the mite Varroa Jacobsoni are inevitably killed unless the beekeeper takes measures against them. One method of control is by spraying, dusting or fumigating with acaricides in the beehive and an effectiveness of 80 to 90% has been reported. In order to increase the effectiveness even further, DE-A-341 7674 suggests the introduction of the acaricide into the wax foundation which will be drawn by the bees into a final honeycomb. One problem with this technique is that is common to reuse bees wax from one year to the next and therefore that the levels of chemicals such as insecticides, fungicides and antibiotics in tho wax may increase with time. There is the danger that chemicals used to ward off insects may find their way into the honey and into the human food chain as well as into beeswax candles. Further, the prolonged exposure of insects, bacteria and fungi to insecticides, fungicides and antibiotics has the effect of selecting and favouring those insects, bacteria and fungi which become resistant by mutation. It is now well understood that the increasing prophylactic use of insecticides, fungicides and antibiotics is accompanied by an increasing resistance to these chemicals so that the pharmaceutical industry is perpetually in a neck-on-neck race with the developing resistance. This has resulted in very conservative treatment strategies when powerful insecticides, fungicides or antibiotics are involved, However, when such chemicals arc used only when there is definite evidence of infection or infestation, there is always the possibility that there is not a 100% eradication of the pest or disease. This means that these pests and diseases may be carried forward to the next years bee colonies. There has been a need for a solution to this problem with beeswax for some time.
The success of a bee colony argues for cohesion of individuals in social activity: as few as 50 bees will form a cluster, with or without a queen, and the same number is sufficient for comb construction. The cluster provides a mechanism for the regulation of the nest temperature and much of the colony""s behaviour is mediated through a large series of chemical and tactile interactions. The combs are the result of stimuli acting on the bees and also provide direct stimuli to the bees themselves. The beeswax is first elaborated (mandibulated) and modified to form a comb wax of reasonable stiffness, strength and flexibility. The working properties of the wax and its end-use are finely tuned to the thermal conditions of the nest. One problem in commercially operated beehives is the mechanical stability of man-made beeswax foundations which are drawn into the final honeycombs by the bees. When the beehive temperature approaches the melting point of beeswax (about 62xc2x0 C.) the mechanical properties of the beeswax reduce which can result in sagging or collapse of the honeycomb. Various attempts have been made to use a more stabile core to the foundations such as paper, aluminium or plastic onto which a thin layer of beeswax is applied. For instance, the beeswax may be applied to a wire mesh, a glass fibre mat (DE-A-4011168) or a fibre board (U.S. Pat. No. 1,672,853). One reason why artificial honeycomb foundations are provided is that energy generated from the available food can be diverted into honey production rather than into beeswax production. Hence, the bees honey production is increased. Despite these attempts to use artificial and natural materials in beehives, foundations still usually consist of a thin plate of beeswax which is mounted on a wooden frame and supported by metal wires. On both sides punched or moulded hexagonal depressions serve as starting points for the formation of honeycomb cells drawn out by the bees. One disadvantage with introducing hard materials into the core of foundations is that the bees often reposition the wax both on one foundation as well as between foundations. This means that when sufficient bees wax has been removed by the bees the underlying hard material is exposed and strips of beeswax may come free.
Attempts have been made to use plastic materials for foundations. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 1,282,645 describes the use of baekelite as a foundation. However, it is not clear from the historical records whether combs were ever successfully drawn on the backelite material. As far as it is known, a beeswax coating was used over the baekelite but the odour of carbolic acid was not masked completely by the wax and when the bees gnawed through the wax they were repelled. FR-A-1035428 discloses the use of microcrystalline waxes in a foundation but the composition is not recorded as showing mimetic properties. More recently, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,073, the use of a mixture of 7.5 to 15% weight of beeswax and a polypropylene copolymer has been proposed. Due to the fact that beeswax is included in this mixture, this is not a completely synthetic foundation and the reuse of contaminated beeswax cannot be eliminated by this known procedure. A similar problem occurs with the beeswax mixture proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,582,605 in which a foundation is proposed made from blended vegetable wax and beeswax whereby the outer layer is preferably beeswax. A suitable vegetable wax is considered to be carnauba wax and a satisfactory mixture is said to be 30% carnauba wax and 70% pure bees wax Despite the many proposals for synthetic or partially synthetic foundations, a completely satisfactory result has not been obtained and foundation manufacture is nowadays still very similar to that of one hundred years ago. The foundations may tot be too thick or too hard or the bees will not accept them. However, thin foundations must be structurally sound and able to carry the load of the fully drawn comb full of honey at temperatures experienced inside a beehive, e.g. 35-37xc2x0 C. Any materials used must also be of relatively low price to remain economically viable. Additional thermal and mechanical loadings may be placed upon the foundation during honey extraction and post-extraction sterilising processes which are usually carried out at such a high temperature that they melt and remove any beeswax which bas been applied to the underlying structure. This means that any inner foundation support (e.g. wire) has to be recoated with beeswax which increases the costs of the final foundation. Last but not least, the bees must also accept the material used in the foundation.
One further aspect of life in a bee-hive influences the choice of suitable materials. It is believed that communication within the hive is carried out by chemical substances which form a xe2x80x9cchemical languagexe2x80x9d. Pheromones are one group of such chemicals which are sometimes called xe2x80x9csocial chemicalsxe2x80x9d. Within the beehive these chemicals may be transmitted by contact, i.e. they may be rubbed off the bees onto beeswax and other bees and transported around the hive. Any material within a beehive must support this language. Any foreign materials must not block, mask or modify any of these chemical messengers otherwise important commands within the language my be distorted or eliminated.
In the literature reference can often be found to so-called xe2x80x9cbeeswax substitutesxe2x80x9d. These materials are used in chemical formulations such as cosmetic or pharmaceutical products as a replacement for natural beeswax, These beeswax substitutes have nothing to do with materials used in beehives as described in the present invention nor in apiculture in general. Webster""s New International Dictionary defines the word xe2x80x9cmimeticxe2x80x9d as xe2x80x9ccharacterised by or exhibiting biological mimicryxe2x80x9d.
Waxes derived from petroleum am well known and include hydrocarbons of three types: paraffin, semi-microcrystalline, and microcrystalline. The quality and quantity of the wax separated from the crude oil depend on the source of the crude oil and the degree of refining to which it has been subjected prior to wax separation. Paraffin, semi-microcrystalline, and microcrystalline waxes may be differentiated using the refractive index of the wax and its congealing point as determined by ASTM D 938 or DIN ISO 2207. In addition, petroleum waxes can be distinguished by their viscosities. For example, semi-microcrystalline wax has a kinetic viscosity at 98.9xc2x0 C. of less than 10 mm2/s (=cSt), while microcrystalline wax has a kinetic viscosity at 98.9xc2x0 C. of greater than or equal to 10 mm2/s (=cSt).
Microcrystalline wax usually contains substantial portions of hydrocarbons other than normal alkanes. It is usually obtained from the highest boiling fraction of a crude oil. Microcrystalline waxes display both chemical and physical properties quite different from paraffin wax At similar melting points, the microcrystallines have a much higher molecular weight than the paraffins. Microcrystalline waxes have a very delicate crystalline structure, the crystals of which may be of a fine needle or short plate type.
In the manufacture of conventional microcrystalline waxes, the bottoms stream from a vacuum tower or xe2x80x9cbright stockxe2x80x9d is deasphalted to produce a heavy deasphalted oil which is then extracted to partially remove aromatics. Hydrocarbonaceous feeds from which underwaxed bright stocks may be obtained usually contain aromatic compounds as well as normal and branched paraffins of very long chain lengths. These feeds usually boil in the gas oil range. Typical feedstocks are vacuum gas oils with normal boiling ranges above about 350xc2x0 C. and below about 600xc2x0 C., and deasphalted residual oils having normal boiling ranges above about 480xc2x0 C. and below about 650xc2x0 C. Reduced topped crude oils, shale oils, liquefied coal, coal, coke distillates, flask or thermally cracked oils, atmospheric residua, and other heavy oils can also be used as the feed source. Other sources may be the mineral ozocerite or lignite.
Typically, the hydrocarbonaceous feed is distilled at atmospheric pressure to produce a reduced crude (residuum) which is then vacuum distilled to produce a distillate fraction and a residue fraction. The vacuum residuum fraction may then be hydrocracked using standard reaction conditions and catalysts in one or more reaction zones. In general, refineries process at least one distillate fraction and one residuum fraction to produce several base stocks. Typically, several distillate factions and the residuum of a vacuum distillation operation are refined. These fractions have acquired various names in the refining art. In particular, the residuum fraction is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cbright stockxe2x80x9d.
The term xe2x80x9cmicrocrystalline waxxe2x80x9d generally refers to deoiled (to less than about 5 wt % oil) wax having a melting point varying from about 140xc2x0 F. to 180xc2x0 F. which is recovered from this deasphalted, extracted oil by dewaxing and deoiling. The wax obtained by such a process is characterised by a poor odour, a dark colour and it contains aromatic impurities as shown by ultraviolet absorption tests. Thus, the wax must be further refined in order to yield useful products. For example, microcrystalline wax may be contacted with solid absorbent materials such as bauxite or clay to absorb the aromatic compounds therefrom which impart unfavourable properties to the wax.
Various improvements in the refining of microcrystalline waxes have been made over the years. The most notable of these processes have been directed towards catalytic refining of the wax in the presence of hydrogen, also known as hydrofining. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,622 discloses taking a crude oil residua and simultaneously deasphalting and extracting the aromatics from it via the Duo-Sol process to obtain a waxy petroleum residue which is then hydrofined by passing the wax, in the presence of hydrogen, over a catalyst of nickel oxide on bauxite. The hydrofined product is then dewaxed via a conventional solvent dewaxing process using toluene and MEK as the dewaxing solvent.
To produce a refined wax that meets U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, the produced waxes may be further refined by contacting with a solid absorbent and then acid treated to achieve the necessary FDA colour, odour, and colour stability requirements. For instance, a process for producing high quality, high molecular weight microcrystalline wax from hydrocracked underwaxed bright stock is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,151. The process comprises three steps. In the first step, a hydrocracked underwaxed bright stock is hydrodenitrified using, for example, a sulphided nickel-tin or nickel-molybdenum hydrotreating catalyst having a siliceous or alumina matrix. In the second step, the bright stock, having a reduced catalyst poison content, is hydrofinished using, for example, an unsulphided nickel-tin or palladium hydrotreating catalyst having a siliceous or alumina matrix. In the third step, the waxy oil is solvent dewaxed using a conventional dewaxing solvent such as a mixture of methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK) and toluene. It has been found that this three-step process produces a high quality, high molecular weight microcrystalline wax.
It is an object of the present invention to provide accessories for beehives such as honeycomb foundations, artificial honeycombs, beehive covers beehive bottom boars, beehive queen excluders, beehive queen cages and beehive cell cups, which reduce the risk of transfer of diseases and pests from one year to the next.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide beehive accessories such as honeycomb foundations, artificial honeycombs, beehive covers, beehive bottom boards, beehive queen excluders, beehive queen cages, beehive cell cups which do not contain natural beeswax an which are lower in cost than previously known beehive accessories.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide beehive accessories such as honeycomb foundations, artificial honeycombs, beehive covers, beehive bottom boards, beehive queen excluders, beehive queen cages, beehive cell cups which are acceptable to the bees and are adequate for the thermal and mechanical loads on the beehive accessories during operation of the beehive colony as well as during ancillary processes such as honey extraction.
The present invention includes the use of a synthetic or semi-synthetic beeswax mimetic substance in an apiculture accessory, the mimetic substance being of a type which bees mandibulate interchangeably with beeswax.
The present invention may provide an apiculture accessory for use in a beehive, the accessory comprising a beeswax mimetic substance, the mimetic substance being of a type which bees mandibulate interchangeably with beeswax. The bees wax mimetic substance may be synthetic or semisynthetic and may comprise or consist essentially of a microcrystalline wax.
The present invention may also provide an apiculture accessory wherein a virgin surface of the accessory exposed to the bees comprises a semi-synthetic or synthetic mimetic substance, in particular a microcrystalline wax.
The present invention includes the method of reducing pests, disease or parasites in a beehive including at least one apiculture accessory comprising beeswax or a beeswax mimetic substance, the method comprising the step of: replacing the one apiculture accessory from time to time with the same accessory made from virgin beeswax mimetic substance, the mimetic substance being of a type which bees mandibulate interchangeably with beeswax. Preferably, the apiculture accessories in accordance with the present invention are replaced with virgin ones after any bee disease or infestation and/or after a certain period, e.g. at yearly intervals.
Any apiculture accessory in accordance with the present invention may include, for instance, any kind of suitable reinforcement, e.g. a wire frame or mesh, about which the beeswax mimetic substance is placed, for example by moulding. The beeswax mimetic substance may be applied, for instance, to any kind of sheet of material useful in a beehive such as wire mesh, plastic, paper, fibre or cardboard sheet. The apiculture accessories in accordance with the present invention may be, for example, artificial honeycombs, honeycomb foundations, beehive covers, beehive bottom boards, beehive queen excluders, beehive queen cages or beehive cell cups.
Mimetic substances in accordance with the present invention may comprise or consist essentially of microcrystalline waxes which are preferably pure white waxes. Mimetic substances in accordance with the present invention may comprise or consist essentially of unbranched (normal-) or branched (iso-) hydrocarbons or mixtures of the two. The mimetic substances in accordance with the present invention may also include saturated and do not necessarily exclude unsaturated hydrocarbons, however, the preferred manufacturing method will remove substantially all unsaturated hydrocarbons. These could be added separately, however, at a later stage. A beeswax mimetic substance in accordance with the present invention may be a homologous series of hydrocarbons. A preferred mimetic substance in accordance with the present invention is a microcrystalline wax which preferably has an ozokcrite structure. The majority of the molecules (greater 98%) of a microcrystalline wax in accordance with the present invention suitable for mid-European climates and for the bee apis mellifora carnica preferably have an equivalent hydrocarbon molecular chain length range as determined by high temperature capillary gas chromatography of 20 to 55. The most common equivalent chain lengths preferably lie in a range 28 to 36. The median equivalent chain length is preferably 31xc2x14, more preferably 31xc2x12. The mean equivalent chain length is preferably 33xc2x14, more preferably 33xc2x13, and most preferably 33xc2x12. These values are specifically useful for beehives used in mid-European climates. The present invention includes modifications to these values, either up or down, to accommodate different ambient temperature conditions, e.g. as may be experienced in the tropics or in countries closer to the poles, or as may be required to match the beeswax of other varieties of bees. The distribution of equivalent hydrocarbon chain lengths in the preferred microcrystalline wax in accordance with the present invention for mid-European climates as determined by high temperature capillary gas chromatography may be represented approximately by a Poisson distribution or a combination of Poisson distributions but the present invention includes distributions anywhere between Gaussian and triangular. The mean equivalent hydrocarbon chain length is preferably between C30 and C38, or more preferably with between C30.5 and C36.5 in which the standard deviation of the distribution is between 3.5 and 6.5 carbon atoms.
A food-grade material in accordance with the present invention is a material suitable for inclusion in food for human consumption, e.g. as specified in the Food Chemical Codex, National Academy Press, 1996 or by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is preferred if the microcrystalline wax used as the beeswax mimic is a refined microcrystalline wax which meets the cleanliness and purity requirements necessary for use in foods.